Senior Scientist (Biochemistry/Biophysics) - Mechanistic Pharmacology

Cancer Research UK (CRUK); Babraham; In loco; GBP 42.000 - 51.000; Tempo pieno

Descrizione del lavoro

Cancer Research Horizons (CRH) is seeking a Senior Scientist to provide lab-based leadership in biochemical and biophysical studies within the Mechanistic Pharmacology team. You will shape project strategies, drive hit-identification workflows, and deliver high-quality SAR/SKR data to advance portfolio objectives.

The role focuses on biochemical approaches to support drug discovery, collaborating across CRH and external partners to accelerate cancer therapeutics development.

Competenze

• PhD or equivalent in biochemistry or in vitro pharmacology.
• Significant industrial drug discovery experience.
• Proven expertise in mechanistic enzymology for target characterization.
• Extensive understanding of biochemical assay technologies and kinetic profiling.
• Experience with developing assays for diverse target classes.
• Credible external reputation through publications and conferences.

Mansioni

• Provide scientific leadership for molecular characterization of cancer targets and in vitro characterization of small molecules using biochemical assays.
• Drive SAR/SKR data generation to guide project decisions and mechanism-of-action studies.
• Adopt innovative biochemical technologies and build external collaborations with CROs and experts.
• Lead external partnerships and define best practice for biochemical assays and mechanism studies.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to advance project objectives and deliverables.
• Coordinate delivery of scientific objectives and mentor team members.

Conoscenze

Biochemistry

Biophysics

Mechanistic enzymology

Enzyme assays

Kinetic profiling

Small molecule characterization

External collaborations

Formazione

PhD in Biochemistry

Descrizione del lavoro

Senior Scientist - Biochemistry & Biophysics (Mechanistic Pharmacology)

Salary: £41,700 - £51,300 plus benefits (dependent on experience)

Reports to: Principal Scientist or above

Directorate: Research & Innovation

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week (other flexible-working requests will also be considered if it meets business needs)

Location: Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge (3 days minimum per week onsite at the laboratory site).

Closing date: Sunday 15th November 2026

Recruitment process: Initial telephone screening interview, followed by on-site F2F assessment for successful candidates.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We have an exciting opportunity for a passionate and dedicated Senior Scientist to join Cancer Research Horizons (CRH) in the Mechanistic Pharmacology team. In this role, you will provide lab‑based scientific leadership and intellectual input across the design, development, execution, and analysis of biochemical experiments. You will characterise target mechanisms, drive hit‑identification campaigns, generate high-quality SAR/SKR data, and deliver compound mechanism‑of‑action studies. Your contributions will be central to shaping project strategy and advancing portfolio objectives. While the role sits within a multidisciplinary biochemistry and biophysics team, this appointment will have a primary focus on biochemical approaches.

About Cancer Research Horizons

As the world’s biggest medical research charity, we’ve helped bring fourteen new cancer drugs to market. However, there is still an urgent need to bring more effective treatments to patients faster.

Cancer Research Horizons (CRH) is CRUK’s internal translation engine. CRUK’s established drug discovery teams operate under one organisation and leadership team. Our unique combination of cancer biology expertise and access to CRUK’s world-class academic network, coupled with cutting edge technology platforms and clinical expertise enables us to 1) bring new treatments to patients faster and 2) tackle the biggest challenges in discovering cancer drugs by seeking out more radical ideas and embracing risk in our bid to achieve success.

Based at sites in Cambridge, the CRUK Scotland Institute in Glasgow, and Newcastle University, Cancer Research Horizons employs :180 staff from both industrial and academic backgrounds.

What will you be doing?

• Providepracticalscientific leadership for the detailed molecular characterisation of cancer targets and the in vitro characterisation of small molecules using a range of biochemical assay technologies. Drive a strategic focus on detailed kinetic and mechanism of inhibition studies and their translation into the cellular environment.
• Design and implement biochemical strategies and cascades to support the characterisation of novel small molecules, generating high-quality SAR and SKR data to guide project decisions.
• Drive the adoption of innovative biochemical technologies and ways of working, maintaining awareness of emerging approaches and building productive relationships with external experts and collaborators.
• Provide scientific leadership for external partnerships, including CROs, defining and implementing best practice for biochemical assays and bespoke mechanism-of-action studies that complement internal capabilities.
• Work collaboratively with multi-disciplinary research teams across Cancer Research Horizons and with external collaboratorsto advance project objectives.
• Prioritise and coordinate delivery of scientific objectives, taking responsibility for the timely achievement of project and team goals.
• Provide people leadership through training, mentoring, and matrix management, supporting the development and success of colleagues across multidisciplinary teams.
• Interpret, communicate, and present complex scientific data to a range of audiences.
• Represent Cancer Research Horizons at external conferences, and promote our innovative science through publication
• Communicate effectively, with openness and respect for the opinions of others
• Maintain accurate, timely, and compliant electronic laboratory records.

What are we looking for?

• BSc, MSc or PhD in biochemistry orin vitropharmacology (relevant experience may be substituted for education).
• Significant research experience in an industrial drug discovery environment.
• Proven expertise inusing mechanistic enzymology to characterise novel targets.
• Extensiveunderstanding of biochemicalassay technologies, includingkineticprofiling.
• Significant experienceof assay development for a range of target classes.
• Significant experienceof characterising small molecules.
• Awareness of emerging technologies and their application within the biochemical field.
• Credible external reputation, demonstratedthrough publications and presentations at key conferences.

Our organisation values are designed to guide all that we do.

Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination

Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism

Human: Act to have a positive impact on people

Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively

We’re looking for people who can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer.

What will I gain?

We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.

You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.

Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.